Hls Dean Case Study

Members of the Search Committee:

As a member of the Harvard Law School Class of 1981, I recommend that Professor David Wilkins '80 be named to replace Martha Minow as HLS Dean. I have known David since we were both students at HLS. Back then, I was struck by his gregarious and effervescent personality; he was a real "people" person. Now, almost four decades later, I am compelled to recommend David as Dean precisely because he is such a people person, a quality that motivates him to identify issues and take action that an ordinary person would not, and which makes him uniquely qualified to lead the Law School.

For a number of years, I practiced higher education law, and defended state universities in tenure disputes. Tenure-track assistant

Since I started participating in the CBAs, I have become active in the Houston-area HLS Alumni Association as a member of its Board of Directors. By way of example, in March 2016, I introduced two black HLS alumni, both of whom were elected to high municipal office in Houston, Mayor Sylvester Turner and Council Member Amanda Edwards, at a reception in their honor sponsored by the Association. It is unlikely that I would have been interested in becoming involved with the local HLS Alumni Association to the extent that I have were it not for the CBAs.

It was not necessary for David to take on the work entailed in organizing the CBAs to satisfy his community service at the Law School. But following through as he did to make the CBAs happen illustrates, as clearly and powerfully as anything else I could cite, how truly special David is to the HLS community, and what an extraordinary Dean he would make.

In sum, this recommendation on behalf of Professor David Wilkins as the new Dean of Harvard Law School is rooted in both the past and present. But, just as important, it is based on my faith that his appointment as Dean augers well for the future of the Law School as an institution known as much for its heart as its